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What a cover letter is for
Your CV stays much the same from one application to the next; a cover letter is written for one advert at one company. It answers three questions: why you are applying, why you fit, and when you can start.
The sections
The form splits the letter into five short parts, in the order Germany’s Federal Employment Agency gives in its application guide — an order that works just as well in English:
- Opening: not “I am writing to apply for…”; refer to something in the advert or about the company.
- What you do now, and why now.
- How you meet the requirements: answer the advert point by point, with a number or a result where you can.
- Why this company: one concrete reason rather than general praise.
- Close: when you can start, a salary expectation only if the advert asks for one, and the request for an interview.
Ready-made sentences, not a template
Each part offers a few sentences to click. The company and position fill in from your details; square brackets (“[number] years”) are yours to complete, and the form reminds you before download if one is still open. Two letters built from the same sentences tell a reader nothing — treat them as a start.
Check the advert’s words
Paste the advert and you see which of its words appear in your CV and which do not. The comparison runs in your browser; the advert is not sent anywhere and is not printed.
One PDF, or plain text
Download the letter on its own, as one PDF with your CV, or copy it as plain text for an email or a job portal. Every application keeps its own letter on this device.
How to write a cover letter
Step 1: Fill in your CV first
Name, contact details, design and signature carry over to the letter.
Step 2: Add the advert’s details
Company, position and, if you know it, the contact person. Paste the advert if you like.
Step 3: Write the five parts
Start from the ready-made sentences and fill in the brackets.
Step 4: Download or copy
As a PDF, as one PDF with your CV, or as plain text.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a cover letter be?
No more than a page — usually three or four short paragraphs. The form warns you when the letter runs over one page.
Who do I address it to?
The hiring manager by name if you can find it. Otherwise “Dear Hiring Manager,” is safe.
Should I mention salary?
Only if the advert asks for it.
Is my letter uploaded anywhere?
No. Like the CV, it is written in your browser and stored only on this device.
Related Tools
- German CV Format: How to Write a LebenslaufBuild a CV the German way — dates in their own column, place, date and signature at the end — in English or in German, and download the PDF free.
- Free CV Maker with Cover Letter — No Sign-UpBuild a CV and a cover letter in German, Turkish or international format and download the PDF. No account, no card, and nothing you type leaves your device.